Squatober Pull Day Exercise Tutorials

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Box Squats - Pause Squats - Romanian Deadlifts - Dumbbell Rows - Pull Downs - EZ Bar Bicep Curls - Reverse EX Bar Bicep Curls - Face Pulls

Box Squats

1. Set up for a squat and place a plyometric box a few feet behind the barbell. The box height should allow your knees to be at a 90-degree angle when you sit on the box. (If you are using a barbell, place the box, so there is enough space to take a few steps back towards the box after unracking the barbell.)
2. Find a wide squat stance with your feet slightly past shoulder-width apart. Position the bar on your upper back (not above the traps) while pulling your shoulders back and elbows in.
3. Keeping your chest tall and core tight, take a deep breath. Hinge at the hips and bend your knees to lower until the backs of your legs make contact with the box, and you are sitting down completely on the box.
4. Push down through your feet, squeeze your glutes, and drive your hips forward to press back up to standing (but avoid thrusting hips forward and hyperextending.)

Pause Squats

1. Place your feet about hip distance apart with your toes facing forward or outwards at a slight angle.
2. Distribute the weight evenly through your whole foot, not just your heels.
3. Hinge from the hips and bend at the knees to lower down into a squat. Keeping your gaze forward, core engaged, and spine neutral.
4. Once you reach the bottom of the squat, pause for 2-5 seconds while keeping your core engaged.
5. Exhale and push through your whole foot to drive yourself up to standing.

Romanian Deadlifts

1. Stand behind a barbell with your feet about shoulder-width apart.
2. Hinge at your hips and lower down with your knees slightly bent until you are far enough down to grab the bar (you can choose an overhand grip, underhand grip, or mixed grip.) The bar should be close enough to be almost touching your shins.
3. Lift the bar or weights off the ground and find a solid standing position where your back is straight, and your core braced.
4. With your knees slightly bent, begin to hinge at the hips to slowly lower the weight. Keep lowering down until you feel a slight stretch in your hamstrings (normally, this will happen when the weight has just passed your knees.)
5. Once you reach the bottom of the motion, drive your hips forward and use your hamstrings to power yourself back up to a standing position while keeping a neutral spine.

Dumbbell Rows

1. Stand next to a bench and place a dumbbell on the side you plan to row. Place your non-rowing hand and that same side's knee on the bench with your other foot firmly on the ground. Roll your shoulders back and down to keep a flat back.
2. Squeeze your shoulder blades together and lead the row with your elbow (not your shoulder.) Keep your arm close to the side of your body as you pull the weight up toward the bottom of your ribcage in an arching motion. Avoid letting your torso rotate as you lift the weight.
3. Once you've reached the top position, squeeze your back muscles before lowering the weight in the same arching motion it was lifted and repeat. Don't lose tension in the back as you lower the weight down.

Pull-Downs

1. Grasp the bar with a wide, overhand grip. Squeeze your shoulder blades together and keep your shoulders squared.
2. Brace your core and pull the bar down until it's approximately level with your chin. Aim to keep your torso stationary and your feet flat on the floor. The bottom of the motion is where your elbows can't move downward anymore without moving backward.
3. With a slow and controlled accent, return the bar to the starting position.

EZ Bar Bicep Curls

1. Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart and your knees slightly bent.
2. Hold an EZ-ar in an underhand grip with your arms extended.
3. Curl the bar up towards your chest, keeping your elbows in by your side. Focus on only moving your forearms.
4. Continue to raise the bar until the bar is at shoulder level, then inhale and slowly lower the bar back to the starting position.

Reverse EZ Bar Bicep Curls

1. Stand holding the EZ curl bar with a shoulder-width, overhand grip.
2. Keeping your elbows by your side, exhale and raise the EZ curl bar towards your shoulders until your forearms are verticle and your hands are at your shoulders. Keeping your elbows in by your sides.
3. At the top of the curl, squeeze your biceps and hold for a count of 2.
4. Inhale and begin to lower the bar back to the starting position, slow and controlled.

Face Pulls

1. Stand facing the cable machine and grab the ends of the rope attachment with each hand using an underhand grip above the ball end, with your thumbs facing towards you.
2. Find a solid stance with your feet hip to shoulder width apart, a slight bend in the knees, and your core engaged to keep your upper body steady. (You can also do a split stance, kneel, or sit if that is more comfortable.)
3. Position the rope so that the cable is tight, but the weight hasn't lifted. Your arms should be at face height and straight out in front of you.
4. Start bringing the rope back towards your face by squeezing your shoulder blades. Continue to pull the rope back, letting your hands move past your ears before your elbows.
5. Pull the rope until your hands pass your ears, but before the rope reaches your face.
6. In a slowed and controlled motion, return the cable to the starting position.